the sea land pride meets the simbas pride
by the sea of dreams
Summary: the sealand pride needs simbas pride help because they have been forced to leave their homelands because of the new dangers their a pride that has hyneas and lions both working together and taking over other prideland but also simbas pride needs help of a different kind they need the help of a very special cub that will make more than used 2 prides become allies but 3 prides
1. Chapter 1

Hi my name is Star and my pride is the sea land pride I am the future queen of this pride but for right now I am more worried about me and the rest of young ones in my

pride suivering an attack form Omega's great grandson and his hyenas and the rest of his pride. "come on Rose" I said to my younger sister "we all need to keep moving"

"but what about grandma and the other older adults" I side and looked at her and set one of my cubs down "we talked about this Rose they choose to stay and try to fight

them off instead of listening to me and Carla's gift as a seer that this was a battle we could not when" I said Rose nodded her head gaining I pinked young Carla up in my

mouth and got ready to cross the border between are lands and the pride lands.

* * *

Mean wall at pride rock they had used finish baring trance and Zuzu was off to get the morning report for Simba and Kovu, Kaira was in the den resting with her cubs. My

pride and I came to a small pull of water where Kaira used to play as a young cub "We can stop and rest here for now but we are going to need some food" at this Rose

nodded her head me "And some of the others will go hunting you, Tara, Mary, and Shine rest and look after the cubs" "Okay I said are mates will stay with use as will" Rose

nodded her head she, Alyssa, Carol, Drew, Jeremy, Sophie, Jack , Darken, and Desires, Brit , and David all when off to hunt for use they proved two zebras for use all to

eat I side calmly and looked at my mate Storm is his name thought he was not the father of my curetted cubs he was my mate. We all started to eat the zebra that my pride

mates had cuted. Zuzu had talked the zebra used than and the herd told them that a young foal had lost its mother to some lioness. Zuzu new that was not Simba`s pride

hunting the zebra at that time because they had not sit out hunting yeted.

so Zuzu said "I will let Simba now about this rouge lioness hunting on his land"

but mean will I had by majongateda a hawk called Dawn fly around to see how far we were form pride rock Dawn came back and said "not far at all miss" at this I nodded my

head Zuzu had flyright past the spot we were eating at "so that the pride that is stealing the pride lands prey will at less now I can tell Simba where they are", as we started

to almost finisheating I counted eat.

* * *

Mean will Zuzu had used come back with the morning reported Simba was a little surispes that Zuzu came back so soon. But than again there was not much to report after

the two prides became one Zuzu Simba asked "what is there to report to day" "will it seem sir that we have a small pride of lions hunting on are lands without your

presseamations" at this Kovu growl and asked "where are they" but then Sarabi asked "if there was a hawk with this pride" Zuzu replied 'yes their is."

Simba looked at his mother than at Zuzu and said"are their cubs with this pride" 'yes sir a few about 9 or more I did not get a changes to count all the pride members".

At this Simba nodded mother "do you think that you mated know who this pride is" "maybe she said but I am not sure is it okay if I come long" she asked "yes of course you

may come" "Nala, Kovu, and his sister Vitani are coming too" he said "lead the way Zuzu" as they got closer to the spot we were at,

I asked my cubs to come and nurse Carla, and her sister Caroline came to nurse as well asmy adopted daughter Crystal.

Dawn said "miss you will have visitors very soon here" Dawn "please tell them that they will have to wait in tell my cubs are done eating" at this Dawn took off and landed in

fronted of Simba "her majesty queen Star asked you to please wait in tell her cubs are done eating before you can talk to her" 'she said', at this Kovu growled "tell her

majesty that we will speak with her now not later" at this 'Simba said' "I apologize for what my son in-law said to you" "that's all right young ones are always like that" 'she

said' Sarabi asked "did you mean queen Star of the sea lands pride" "yes I did" 'Dawn said',

at this Sarabi relaxed "tell Star that Sarabi and her son are here to speak with her and that we will wait behind the boulder in tell she gives use the signal that her cubs are

done eating." at this Dawn fly off again and told me what Sarabi told her at this I nodded my head.

* * *

Simba asked his mother "do you know this lioness" "yes I meet her a few times before you were born and sometime after that as will your grandfather allowed her pride to

hunt here when there was a druned in their lands" at this Simba nodded "but the last time I saw her was the day before your father died she had come to thank use for

helping her pride and also to tell use that her mother Carla had passed away and also to give use some food as to thank use for are help" she said to Simba at this he nodded

"could their lands be in drouted again" he asked "no" Sarabi said "if that where the cast Star would have seen Dawn here days ago" at this he nodded. as they waited beefing

the boulder my cubs counted to nurse but there are more than used my cubs here Tara's two son`s and her adopted one as will and Mary's two daughters along with her

adopted daughter as will, and Shine's son as well as her youngest sister and brother where here too.

* * *

two hours pasted and I final give the signal for them to come out from behind the boulder at this I liked my paws, and said "hi" to Sarabi "it been a long time Star seen I saw

you lasted how are things" "not as good as we hoped but they will be soon I hope" 'I said' 'Simba said' "why are you hunting on are lands" I smiled "I guess you are the king

now Simba" at this he nodded 'but you still have not answered my question" "you get right to the point" I said calmly "that is a long story but my guess I should tell you the

short version of it for now and tell you the full story when we get to pride rock,' you see Simba we were forced to leave are lands because of a large group of hyenas and lions

attacked use so you had to feel your homelands' Sarabi said "than where is the rest of your pride Star do not tell me this all that survived this attacked" "no it is not than

where are the others still try to fight them off" "than why are you not helping them" "because my daughter Carla is a seer she warned use on the day that she was born" oh!

she said "but then why leave some of your pride behind if you all read knew that it was a fight you could not win" Kovu asked I signed and said "my grandmother did not

believe what my daughter saw nore did she what to either because she does not believe in such things 'she said' that all I saw was a bad dream and nothing more and most

of the older pride members believed her. and not me because I had yet to run their respected as queen. and at the time I was not queen yeted but after today I will be" at

this Kovu nodded we ask "if we can stay here for a will please Simba we need a place to stay and regain are strength and when we are strong anthe we also ask if you will

help us get are lands back form this hyenas and thoughts lions that fight with them" "of course we will help you" Simba said at this I nodded my head "thank you Simba this

means a lot to me and my pride" he nodded 'let get you all back to pride rock".

* * *

but then Rose said "Star you told grandmamma that we would wait for them at the border on the side of pride lands for them" "I did say that Rose but I did not say who

would be there you and the some of the others take the left overs to the border they will need to get some strength back when they get their the rest of us are going to take

the cubs to pride rock" at this Simba said "Nala, Vitani go with them' he said "we will take Star and the cubs back to pride rock" 'Dawn go with Rose and the others and if they

need help get back to one of us really fast " at this she nodded 'yes mama" she said. I picked up Carla in my mouth Storm picked up Caroline, Darken picked up Crystal, Mary

picked up Miss and Rico picked up Melanie and Carol picked up Sara, Tara picked up Gino will Charles picked up Galen, and Leo picked up Eric, Shine picked up Ohioan and

Alex's picked up Sierra and Brit picked up Davien and their was two more that where coming with use Michal and Ronald.

the rest of the pride was had back to the border between are two prides we followed Simba, Sarabi , and Kovu back to pride rock.


	2. Chapter 2

when we got the cubs back to pride rock I set them down in a grassy bedding beside me and then I saw to cubs laying in a grassy bed all by them self's and I turned to Simba and asked how do this cubs belong too they belong to a lion that died early this morning she fall of the edge of the cliff here he said I looked back at the cubs than at Simba what was her name I asked Thence. Kaira replied she did not get a change to name her son and daughter dad what to betrothed her daughter to Lir I was against the matter for I what my son to marry for love and nothing else at this I nodded my head I can understand that Kiara all to will I add my mom always told me to marry for love and nothing else because she did not what me to make the same mistakes she did but that is not all ways possible. I will not change my mind about the betrothal Kiara but I am sorry about yelling at you like that last night the storm used got to me that all at this Kiara nodded her head all is forgiven she said but the cubs still need names and I am having no luck of thinking up the right ones for them she said I may be able to help with that Carla said calmly Kiara looked surprise that she could understand my daughter seen she was so young at this I smiled Carla is a very special cub I said and she and her cousins Gino and Miss are also gifted seers their powers in crises hers so she should be able to tell us what the future names of this cubs are and if your father should really recier his decing in the betrothal mater at this Kiara smiled what will she need for that used to touch them I said Carla when to Theca's male cub first and touched his head with her nose and closed her eyes with Miss and Gino right beside her she looked up and smile he should be called Blaze she said I nodded than she did the same with the female cub her name should be Hope that good to know now that she has a name we can make the cerronmy finalized what I theirs more I need to tell you first before you do so go on Simba said Carla closed her eyes and then she spoke there is darkness around her and Lir if you betroth them darkness will common this land and many others but do not loss hope for if you do not betroth him to any one than he will choose the mate that will make his darkness that is inside him disappears she said and who may I ask is the right mate at this she open her eyes and said Crystal is his soul mate she said if you betroth him to Hope he will defy his grandfather and marry Crystal anyhow but none of the pride members will not think of her cups as heirs to the then because of that betrothal thing and if you betroth him to Crystal the same thing will happen so the best thing for him is to let his heart choose for him at this Simba nodded his head you could be right Carla of course my daughter speaks the truth she would not lie about shute things but what if we betroth Blaze to Kira he asked Carla closed her eyes again and then open them and said they are soul mates their way she said than it is decide he said calm . will Star are you going to tell use the full story now at this I side an lied down with my cubs in between my paws very will Simba but please do not ask me questions in tell I am done telling this story he nodded continue he said I nodded I will start at what happen after I told my pride what I had seen I said calmly now this was very late at night but my grandmother was not please to hear what I had to say and she did not believe that my daughter gift was real at all and she said that we were not allowed to speak about it or believe anything she showed use their and not a lonely that I had to stop her from trying to hurt her very time she showed her something or spoke clear as day that night against my grandma`s wish I cross the border into your lands and when to the pole of water that you found me at today but I was not alone Carla was with me as will we both looked in to the pool and saw a very bad thing all are lands where destroyed because of omega's grand son and his hyenas and pride mates take the land and destroyed it all nothing was lifted it was all died I new my grandma would not believe me so I did not tell her but I did tell the one`s that did believe me and my daughter and they said they would not say anything to her so a few weeks later Crystal was born and her bother but as you already know her mother and brother died that same night that she was born and that I adopted her because her mother asked me too but what you do not know is that the next day


	3. prologles before chapter 1 of this story

**i proble should of put this first in stand of after chapter 2 of this story but this will help you to understand what is going on kind of.**

* * *

Worry lingered within the mighty heart of Simba; the king of Pride Rock, as he scanned the Pride Lands seeing the first storm of the rainy season coming near. But, the storm wasn't the king's main worry, it was his daughter Kiara, she had gone into labor with her first cub. Her family surrounding her; her mother Nala, her grandmother Sarabi, and the other Pride lioness' tended to her. Simba knew the lioness' always gave birth to cubs all the time, but this was his daughter and he couldn't help worrying of her safety. It wasn't long until Kovu came out of the den to see how Simba was handling the event.

"So, how are you holding up Simba?" Kovu asked shyly, as he slowly walked up behind the king staring over the land. The wind was throwing both their manes all about, as the king turned looking at Kovu with a smile.  
"I'm quite alright Kovu, but how is my daughter? Is she alright?" Simba finished with a worried look as Kovu smiled at the worried king.  
"She's perfectly fine. It shouldn't be too long now until you're a grandfather Sim..."  
"DON'T! Call me Simba, Kovu. You're my daughter's mate, so please call me dad... Besides, you're soon going to be the father of my grandchild, so it is only right to call me father."

Simba chuckled as he returned to look over the land, the storm drawing ever closer. The storm caused Kovu to fret and he stood beside his father-in-law as Simba looked up at the sky. Simba's face was still filled with worry and Kovu's gaze never left Simba. As he was about to ask the mighty king what troubled him, Nala came running to them with a huge smile on her face.

"Simba, Kovu! It's over, Kiara has given birth…!" Simba's face changed from worry to joy, but before he could speak Nala finished, "…to two beautiful cubs, a boy and a girl!" Worry filled his eyes, but he continued to smile. Nala then turned and ran back into the den to see to her daughter.

As they followed Nala to the cave, Kovu stopped Simba, "What's wrong Sim...I mean dad, you seem worried?"  
Lighting struck through the sky as Simba looked up at it and smiled, turning to face Kovu, "Nothing my son, just the storm has me worried, now let us go see the little ones and welcome them into the pride" Simba said as he walked passed Kovu into the Den. Kovu sighed knowing that wasn't the case, but he didn't push it. He followed the king into the den to see his mate and new born cubs but the worry of the king caused Kovu to worry himself.

* * *

Kovu sighed and shook off the worried feeling but, this wasn't the first time Simba had acted this way before. Kovu noticed that ever since Kiara had become pregnant Simba seemed to be distant and this worried Kovu. He did not want their king to pass away thus making him the new king; he was not ready for that much responsibility.

Kovu and Simba followed Nala into a tunnel hidden within the walls of Prides Den. Kovu and Simba's hearts raced as they neared Kiara who was lying on a soft, dry grass bed.

Lighting struck outside the cave, the howling winds and rushing rain hit the dry, hot land making it crack. Kovu jumped slightly as the sound of loud thunder took him off guard. Simba smiled at him as they came to Kiara's bed. Sarabi laid beside her in case she needed her grandmothers help. They looked down and there in Kiara's paws laid two new born lion cubs.

Kovu's face lit up like the stormy sky outside as he saw his little ones in the paws of his mate. He gently nuzzled Kiara's head as she looked up to see him smiling tenderly down at her

"You did so well my love... they are beautiful... just like you" he said to her gently.

Kiara blushed but slowly shook her head smiling, as she too looked down at them seeing that their fur was much darker then her own.

"I disagree... they look like you Kovu" she replied.

Sarabi then stood leaving the new parents alone as she gently pulled her son along, but before he could refuse to leave…

"Let them go Simba. You can see your grandchildren more in the morning, but for now let them rest and be with their parents."

Simba sighed and reluctantly left the tunnel with his mother as they went to inform the pride of the wonderful new.

* * *

After Simba and his mother left the tunnel to tell the others of the newest members of their pride, Kovu lay down beside his beloved mate and gently nuzzled her cheek. His eyes gazed down at his cubs that were to become the next generation, and future of the Pride lands.

"I still can't believe I'm a father now. I never thought I would one day have cubs of my own, let alone such beautiful ones like them..." Kovu stated as he gently licked each of their small, damp heads as they mewed in Kiara's paws.

Kiara smiled and returned Kovu's nuzzle, as she too gazed down at their new family. The cubs were looking at the surroundings of the cave mewing softly when they saw new t"Well, I guess all there is to do now is to name them..." Kovu said as he began to think of names. Kiara smiled down at the little female who was now batting her little paws at her mother's nose. "Let's call her Kira, it fits her feisty nature, don't you think?" Kiara asked Kovu as he smiled and nodded in agreement. "That's a great name Kiara. What do you wish to call our son?" Kiara looked at Kovu and shook her head, smiling tenderly. "He is for you to name my love, for he will be your next heir to the throne." Kovu's heartbeat fastened greatly, he never had the honor to name a child of any kind. He thought long and hard on it until he smiled at his little son. "I will call him Lir." Kiara's face lit up happy as can be as she gently licked Kovu's cheek. "Then Kira and Lir will be their names." Kiara said as the loving parents tenderly cuddled up together with their new family.

Meanwhile, Simba and Sarabi finished telling the others of the next heirs being born. The whole pride exclaimed out with great joy, happy to hear the princess and prince were finally a complete family. After the joyful cries died down, Sarabi caught her son looking grim and sitting by the entrance of the den, watching the extremely violent storm rage on, something was amiss.

"Simba my son, is something troubling you my dear?" she asked with her old voice witch remained what seemed untouched but the curl fate of time, as Simba looked at his mother and sighed softly. "It's just… Back in my cub years, father told me many tales of the land, but one sticks with me the most..." Simba said as lighting flashed in the sky. "O? Which one was that my dear?" Sarabi asked her son. "The Black Lion, known in the legend as Orochi. It's said that if twin cubs are born on the first day of the raining season, and it's a very bad storm, one of the cubs will be possessed over by the Black Lion and rule the end of the peaceful times of its pride... and..." "O Simba! Father only told you those spook stories to scare you. For goodness sake, you're a full grown adult now, you should know better than to believe such nonsense stories" she said laughing at her son as she began to walk away to rest. "Simba you worry too much... everything will be fine".

Simba watched her leave to her sleeping place, he sighed and stared up at the rain still falling down hard, "Heh... funny you say that mother. That's exactly what father said to me, about him and Uncle Scar..." Simba said under his breath as he walked out into the storm, hoping the rain would clear his head of all doubts for the future of his kingdom. hings.

"The first born was this little, dark-gold, male cub, with the dark brown marking of fur on his head. Then his dark-brown sister with the small lighter brown strip on her head was born second..." Kiara exclaimed softly, as she studied their markings and colors. "Well, I guess all there is to do now is to name them..." Kovu said as he began to think of names. Kiara smiled down at the little female who was now batting her little paws at her mother's nose. "Let's call her Kira, it fits her feisty nature, don't you think?" Kiara asked Kovu as he smiled and nodded in agreement. "That's a great name Kiara. What do you wish to call our son?" Kiara looked at Kovu and shook her head, smiling tenderly. "He is for you to name my love, for he will be your next heir to the throne." Kovu's heartbeat fastened greatly, he never had the honor to name a child of any kind. He thought long and hard on it until he smiled at his little son. "I will call him Lir." Kiara's face lit up happy as can be as she gently licked Kovu's cheek. "Then Kira and Lir will be their names." Kiara said as the loving parents tenderly cuddled up together with their new family.

Meanwhile, Simba and Sarabi finished telling the others of the next heirs being born. The whole pride exclaimed out with great joy, happy to hear the princess and prince were finally a complete family. After the joyful cries died down, Sarabi caught her son looking grim and sitting by the entrance of the den, watching the extremely violent storm rage on, something was amiss.

"Simba my son, is something troubling you my dear?" she asked with her old voice witch remained what seemed untouched but the curl fate of time, as Simba looked at his mother and sighed softly. "It's just… Back in my cub years, father told me many tales of the land, but one sticks with me the most..." Simba said as lighting flashed in the sky. "O? Which one was that my dear?" Sarabi asked her son. "The Black Lion, known in the legend as Orochi. It's said that if twin cubs are born on the first day of the raining season, and it's a very bad storm, one of the cubs will be possessed over by the Black Lion and rule the end of the peaceful times of its pride... and..." "O Simba! Father only told you those spook stories to scare you. For goodness sake, you're a full grown adult now, you should know better than to believe such nonsense stories" she said laughing at her son as she began to walk away to rest. "Simba you worry too much... everything will be fine".

Simba watched her leave to her sleeping place, he sighed and stared up at the rain still falling down hard, "Heh... funny you say that mother. That's exactly what father said to me, about him and Uncle Scar..." Simba said under his breath as he walked out into the storm, hoping the rain would clear his head of all doubts for the future of his kingdom.

* * *

After he slowly drifted out into the stormy night, King Simba stared up into the violent skies. Recalling the night when his father, Mufasa, came to him in the clouds, and spoke to him about taking his place in the circle of life. The memory of his father made the worried king smile brightly. He then spoke out loud to himself.

"Oh mother's right, only foolish young cubs believe those spook stories you told me..." Simba said, as he shook his head and chuckled. He looked back up into the sky as lighting flashed, his smile faded once again into a worried frown. "Then why... why was the legend true with you and uncle Scar?"

Simba was troubled once again. He sighed lowering his head and was about to return into the warmth, and dryness of the den when a movement out in the rain drenched distance caught his eye. It was a young, heavily pregnant lioness. Her dark brown fur was easy to see, against the bright tan-yellow color of the wet grass.

Simba yelled out to his scouts and they rushed to his side. He ordered them to bring this lioness to the den and they quickly did as they were told. There was no hint of fear in her as they came into view, she just merely smiled. Once they finally reached her she collapsed onto the ground, weak. She had gone into labor and did her best to hold it in as she looked for a safe place to give birth, but along her way of doing this she got mixed up in the storm and got lost. The lions reached her and rushed her back to Pride Rock and into the den and through the back tunnel to where Kovu and Kiara were. Kiara looked up at her father slightly shocked.

"Father, what's going on?" she asked a little worried, as this lioness began to give birth. Simba gently nuzzled his daughter.

"My guess is that she got lost and went into labor at the wrong place, at the wrong time... she was lucky to of found us..."

"Or who knows what could have happened to her." Kiara finished.

Simba and Kovu were told to leave as this lioness gave birth, Sarabi and Nala by her side coaching her through it little by little. It wasn't long until little mews could be heard not from one cub, but twins, a boy and a girl. Both were healthy and strong and their mother smiled softly at them, as she slowly drifted off to sleep overwhelmed by the birth process. Sarabi and Nala smiled, and gently started to clean off the young ones, for their exhausted mother.

Outside the birthing den, Kovu and Simba sat waiting to hear what the outcome was. Kovu heard the King sigh.

"Is there a problem Dad?" Kovu asked worried, as Simba looked at him and gently explained his worry of history repeating itself, with his and Kiara's cubs. He never mentioned the legend to anyone. Kovu gave him an awkward look, "So you think one of my children may end up like Scar? What gave you that crazy notion?" Simba sighed at Kovu's words, as he walked towards another tunnel and motioned for Kovu to follow him.

"Come along my son I wish to tell you a story my father once told me... I was always told to watch for something when cubs are born. Now I want to spread the knowledge to you, so you can teach your own children one day too." Simba told him as the two males walked into a den, one that Mufasa once used to take young cubs in for storytelling and lessons.

* * *

As the males walked into the lesson den, Simba hopped up onto a rock that was perfect for a male lion to lie on. Kovu stood in front of the big rock looking up at Simba with a neutral face. Simba then sighed, and settled himself down; he looked around the lesson den smiling.

"Only if these den walls could talk, they have heard many stories through the years. But, the reason I brought you here is I wish to tell you the tale about The Black Lion they call Orochi..." Simba exclaimed as he closed his eyes for a second, clearing his head and recalling the tale that his father had told him so long ago.

"Orochi they say is the dark, evil spirit that lurks within every pride. He preys on the weak willed and corrupts the innocent, until they turn completely into monsters. Not physical monsters, but their minds and personality turns into that of a monster. They are unfair, cruel, selfish, murdering, self-concerned lions or lioness', that will stop at nothing until they have everything and anything they want... even if it means killing their own family" Simba paused letting the tale sink in, as Kovu shook his head and looked at the king.

"You seriously believe in such stories? And if so, what does this got to do with my cubs?" Kovu asked as he awaited his kings answer.

"Well young prince, let me explain. They say that Orochi can only attach himself to cubs that have brothers and sister born at the same time, like your twins. And, not just any twin siblings, but twins that are born on the first day of the raining season... But only if the first rain storm is violent." As Simba looked outside at the raging storm as Kovu began to laugh even more.

"O dad! Your funny, you're just trying to scare me and it's not..."

"NO KOVU! What I'm saying is serious; you know the story of Scar, and his brother Mufasa, my father. They were twins, born on the first day of the raining season, and the storm was bad, but nothing like this one today... And you saw how Scar turned out!" Simba yelled as his face showed nothing but seriousness as Kovu looked a little worried now. "Kovu, I'm not saying it will happen I just want you to be warned of the legend just in case, nothing more." Simba said in a calm voice as he smiled and Kovu returned his smile and nodded as the king dismounted from the rock and to the den floor as he began to walk back towards the birthing den. "Now my son, let's go see how that lioness is doing."

In the Birthing Den, Nala and Sarabi smiled as they gently placed the young cubs by their mother. They began to feed on their mother's milk, as Nala smiled and sighed.

"There's a boy and a girl, just like Kiara's cubs." Sarabi chuckled at a thought, "maybe the Great Kings have blessed us with mates for the future king and queen of the pride lands" Kiara heard this and she sighed.

"Grandmother don't say such things... our future king should be able to pick his own mate for love, not by betrothal." Sarabi looked at her granddaughter in disbelief, as did Nala.

"Kiara, you know that is not how the pride works. You and Kovu were a different story; there were no other male cubs around, to be betrothed to you. The given the fact that Kovu helped save the Pride Lands won him the right to be your mate, nothing more. Now since there is both a male and female cub both of different birth parents. We must return to our traditional ways, and betroth your son Lir, to this lioness's daughter" Sarabi said to Kiara as Kiara glared at them as she inhaled deeply and roared out in anger.

" NO! That tradition will never happen again."

* * *

The royal males stopped dead in their tracks as Kiara's angry voice rang out throughout the den's walls. Kovu then leaped in a rush to his mates side.

" Kiara, what is wrong?"

" Ask them!... They wish to betroth our son Lir, to this strangers female cub, and i will not have it!"

Kovu looked at Nala and Sarabi with a look of disbelief as Simba over heard the problem. Walking into the birthing den sitting beside his mate, Nala, he glared at his daughter.

"Kiara that is enough! You have been nothing but disrespectful, and disobedient all your life ever since you were a cub, and now it's time to grow up!"

Simba scorned Kiara loudly as all the playfulness seemed to leave his eyes, and was replaced with complete seriousness. Kiara lowered her ears saddened and deeply hurt, as Kovu glared at Simba, and went to voice his opinion when Simba interrupted.

"Hold your tongue Kovu! You and Kiara may be the future king and queen, but i am still the king of the Pride Lands, and I say as of now, prince Lir is betrothed to this lioness's Daughter."

"But Simba, what if the lioness doesn't wish her daughter to be betrothed to our son?" Kovu asked as Sarabi chuckled.

"She will agree, for it will be like a payment of her gratitude to us for saving her life, and the lives of her children... Now, lower your heads, it's late, and we all must renew our strength for the morn."

And, without another word Simba, Nala, and Sarabi turned and left the den. After they left Kiara began to cry, as she looked up at Kovu tears streaming down her face. He gently cuddled up behind her, draping his head and neck over her shoulders to give her comfort.

"Father has always been so hard on me. Is it a crime to want our future king to find a queen out of love? Father has never yelled towards me with that much scorn before."

Kovu gently nuzzled his head against his mate's and purred gently.

"It's alright my love, your father will apologize he can't stay mad at his little girl for too long. He's just upset cause of the storm and it being so late, and he has things on his mind about the kingdom... So everything will be fine, I promise."

Kiara sniffled a little, but then smiled slightly, at her very caring mate as she licked his cheek, still upset over the whole ordeal of the betrothal.

"Thank you Kovu, you've made me feel so much better, I don't know what I'd do without you."

Kovu chuckled as he returned her lick, and nuzzled her gently as a yawn sneaked out of his mouth and it made Kiara chuckle.

"We should get some rest. I for one am wore out ."

Kiara said as Kovu nodded his head in agreement. They both laid down and let sleep overtake them, as Kiara's thoughts of her offsprings future ran threw her head, it made it hard for her to get much sleep at all.

* * *

Morning came quickly to the Pride Lands, but the storm continued to rage on making the morning sky dark with its clouds. Many of the lions and lionesses lay there, stomachs growling with hunger, hoping the storm would cease so they could hunt.

Simba lay at the entrance of the den, watching the power and rage of the storm. His eyes were heavy as he watched, shaking off the sleep that kept trying to overpower him. He had barely slept a wink throughout the night, for the events that took place the evening before would creep into his thoughts, making him unable to sleep. Nala woke to see that her mate wasn't by her side. She scanned the den until she spotted him watching the storm outside. She got up and smiling gently went to greet him good morning. Once she reached him, she gently nuzzled her head against his startling Simba.

"O you startled me Nala. I hope you slept well." Simba said as he returned his gaze outside. "Yes my dear, but judging by your eyes I can assume you didn't... Is everything alright?" She asked Simba, who sighed and nodded. He didn't want to lie to Nala, but he didn't want her to worry herself to death either. "Yes, everything is fine. I'm just waiting for Kiara and Kovu to wake up. I was rather rude and short with them both last night and it was wrong. I let my stress from the storm get to me, and I took it out on my own family. I need to apologize, but that will not change my mind about the betrothal. I have made my decision with that matter." he answered to her question.

Nala smiled and nodded as she licked Simba's cheek gently. "Once the storm departs, I will send Zazu to fetch Rafiki. I will have them prepare for the presentation ceremony of Prince Lir and his future queen, once her mother has named her of course". Simba looked at Nala with a smile and nodded happily. Sarabi woke up and walked past Simba and Nala, heading towards the birthing den so she could check on the new mothers.

Once she entered the den, she saw Kiara and Kovu still fast asleep the cubs nursing on their mother. Sarabi smiled at them as she passed the sleeping couple and went over to the unknown lioness. Once there, Sarabi gently nuzzled the cubs and pulled back to watch them. As Sarabi pulled back her eyes stopped to see the lioness staring at her. She jumped slightly startled not expecting to see that the lioness was indeed awake.

"O my! Y...your awake? How are you feeling my dear?" Sarabi asked her softly, as the lioness continued to stare at her until she finally responded. "I'm fine, where the hell am I?" she asked, as Sarabi cleared her throat at the lioness' foul mouth. "Your in my prides den." she answered but continued to speak. "You were lost in the storm last night and we saved you and the lives of your cubs." she finished, as the lioness' eyes widened and looked quickly to her side seeing her little ones for the first time. She gently nuzzled them smiling softly, as Sarabi congratulated her. "They are very strong and beautiful cubs miss uh... Please forgive me, but we never got your name." she stated to the young lioness as she looked up from her cubs into Sarabi's eyes. "Thena... My name is Thena. And I must thank you for saving the lives of both, me and my cubs, but we must be on our way". Thena said as she stood, picking the cubs up by their scruffs in her mouth. "You can't leave" Sarabi protested. "Those cubs don't even have their eyes open yet. And more importantly, a lone lioness with two new born cubs would never survive on their own. Further more, you'll be happy to know that your daughter has been betrothed to my great grand son, who was also born just last night. You all now have a safe home to live in for the rest of your days". she stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Thena stopped dead in her tracks placing the new born cubs back into the dry grass bed.

"Exactly what pride am I supposedly a part of now?" she asked glaring at Sarabi, who smiled brightly at Thena and exclaimed proudly. "Why the Pride Landers. Your in the Pride Lands!" Thena's face turned from unamused, to out right furious. "THE WHAT!?"

* * *

Thena's enraged voice echoed throughout the whole den waking both Kiara and Kovu. Seeing old Sarabi backed up against the birthing den's wall with the unknown lioness growling and snarling at her, Kovu readied himself to defend his grandmother-in-law. In seconds Simba and Nala rushed into the den, roaring loudly making Thena back down and wrap herself around her cubs. Simba stormed over to her, fangs bare.

"You EVER come near my mother like that again, I'll rip your fur out!" Sarabi rushed to Simba's side gently placing her paw on her sons and he relaxed, as Sarabi faced Thena. "Miss Thena, if you don't mind me asking, why do you hate these lands so? " Thena raised her head and looked at all of them glaring down at her, waiting for her to explain herself.

"Nothing but evil comes out of your lands. Ever since the great Mohatu joined the great kings, nothing but disaster has befallen here... Sons murdering their fathers, brothers killing brothers, kings slaughtering their own cubs because they didn't fit the kings needs, nephews throwing their uncles into the flames and Hyenas... Worst of all, a scorned queen trains her cub to kill the king and the king allows him to mate with his daughter allowing him to become king one day himself. You're lined up perfectly for yet another disaster and my cubs will have no part of this cursed pride... NEVER!"

In seconds, Thena grabbed her cubs and leaped over the group in front of her, running to the exit. As she neared the exit, Vitani, who was returning from the rain soaked lands, saw the lioness with the cubs running. Vitani heard Simba yelling for her to stop, and without thinking twice, she tackled Thena to the ground, as the cubs dropped to the ground mewing loudly as the fall scared them more then it hurt. Sarabi grabbed the cubs and rushed back into the cave to protect them. Thena saw this and raged out at Vitani who was trying to holding her down. The two headstrong lioness' struggled closer and closer to the edge of the Pride Rocks vertical peak. Thena hit Vitani across the face, as Vitani counter attacked her with a swing of her paw. Thena fell back to the edge and slipped off the peak, her claws trying to find ground to dig into, but she was not quick enough. She fell to the bottom of the peak and there was a loud thud as fear engulfed everyone hoping the fall had not been lethal. Simba, Nala, Vitani and Kovu rushed down quickly hoping she may have survived the long drop, but as they reached her their hope was diminished as they saw the young lioness laying across the ground lifeless.

"N...no... this is my fault..." Vitani cried as Simba told both Vitani and Nala to go back inside. Simba called for Zazu telling him to get Rafiki and to tell him to be ready for a funeral. Zazu flew off, as Simba's heart grew heavy with guilt and he began to mourn for the loss of such a young lioness "Simba,... wha..." "Come, help me pick her up... We will take her to the back of Pride Rock and begin digging a grave for her before Rafiki arrives." Simba interrupted the mourning Kovu.

Simba and Kovu said nothing as they began to take her body behind Pride Rock. They stayed silent as the guilt of her death ate at them. Not only was Thena robbed of her life, but her new born cubs were to be growing up motherless and that had torn at their hearts more then anything else.

* * *

Simba and Kovu finished digging the grave within the hour, placing Thena's body down into it. They sat there, their heads held in shame as they gave a moment of  
silence in her name. The rains finally stopped as Kovu looked at Simba. "Dad... Kiara and i will adopt Thena's cubs..." Simba looked at Kovu shocked at the words he was saying, but he softly smiled as Kovu continued, "The least we can do for her is to ensure her cub's survive." Simba nodded as he looked at Thena's lifeless body, and the smile  
he held was slowly fading. "I'm so sorry young Thena, but watch on from the skies, for one day your children will be great, and they will make you proud... May the great Kings  
welcome you into their kingdom of the heavens". Inside Pride Rock's Den, Sarabi had placed Thena's cubs next to Lir and Kira. Kiara began to clean them, when Nala rushed in with a sobbing Vitani beside her. Vitani fell into an empty bed of grass and sobbed, as Nala explained what had happened to Kiara and Sarabi. Their faces filled with shock from the information, as Sarabi rushed over to the crying Vitani, and gently nuzzled her face. "O Vitani, it's alright dear... It wasn't your fault. She slipped, she came at you, and you were only protecting yourself." Vitani sobbed more as she replied shaking her head in disagreement. "It is my fault! If I didn't hit her back she wouldn't of lost her  
life... I... I killed her..." "Do NOT say such things!" Nala roared out, tears in her own eyes as she came over to Vitani. "Stop blaming yourself... this was the will of the Great Kings. There was a reason that Thena was brought to us, and I bet it was to give us the next heirs for the Pride Lands... We will prove Thena was wrong about these lands and we will show her how great these lands are. She will be so proud of her children and how they will become and the lives they will have. Come on Vitani, it is the only way we can make it up to her. Please help us make her children become the greatest rulers the Pride Lands have ever seen!" Nala said with pride in her voice. Vitani looked up at her and wipe the tears away, feeling the sorrow fade away some. She slowly stood and walked over to the cubs and looked down at the sighing deeply. "Did Thena ever name them...?" she asked as all the other lioness"lowered their heads silent. Vitani nodded understanding their silence meant no.


End file.
